According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2,500 migrants died or disappeared in the Mediterranean between January 1 and September 24, 50 percent more than the same period last year.
Irregular arrivals of migrants in Italy through the Mediterranean from North Africa has reached to nearly 114300 between January and August, which is almost twice as many as in the same period in 2022, posing much pressure on the migrants and endangering the lives of many Africans.
According to statistics released by International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 2000 people have lost their lives or gone missing since the start of the year attempting this crossing, while the United Nations has reported more than 2500 deaths or missing. These people, taking one of the world’s most dangerous land routes and endangering their lives to find better opportunities, come from different African countries. As shown by statistics, nearly 102000 of the migrants who attempted to cross into Europe this year came from Tunisia, 45000 from Libya, and some others belonging to Ivorians, Egyptians and Guineans.
Refugees and migrants who travel these routes « risk death and gross human rights violations at every step. In addition to endangering their lives, the influx of immigrants also imposes a great burden and pressure on the destination countries, including Italy, to provide basic needs. In one instance, the Italian island of Lampedusa is recently facing an influx of migrants, welcoming more than 7000 people, the equivalent of the entire local population.
Undoubtedly, facing such a situation requires the integration and coordinated action of the entire international community to help the immigrants in the best possible way.